The Ghost Salesman
by Queen of the Harpies
Summary: A short ficlit from the eyes of someone who lives in Hyrule during Ocarina of Time. We see Link leaving castle as soon as he reaches adulthood...please r/r


            a/n: Hi guys! This is my first Zelda fic, but I'm a zelda aficionado. This takes place right before Link appears as an adult in Ocarina of Time. Dug out my game for the first time and ages and came up with this little number. Hope you like it…Don't forget to review!  ~Queen of the Harpies

Zeph sped across the plain, target in sight. The Big Poe moved slowly and tauntingly, its lantern swinging in soft circles. Zeph urged his mount on, a black stallion obtained at Lon Lon Ranch, from a reluctant Mr. Ingo. Zeph notched his arrow and let it fly away. It struck home, hitting the Big Poe squarely in the chest. The Poe's semi-solid form vanished and the lantern broke leaving a yellow spirit in its midst. He quickly dismounted and pulled an empty bottle out of his cloak pocket. The Poe was caught easily. Zeph looked at the sky. 

It must be half way to sunset by now. Zeph glanced around. The speed of the chase had brought him near the forest, too close for comfort. The Evil seemed to seep out of the place. He mounted his horse quickly and rode hard toward the castle. A wolf howled. Nighttime. Perfect, Zeph thought. He stopped his steed in front of the broken drawbridge and drew his cloak closer around his thin frame. It always seemed colder near the castle, where it was dark and the King's dark spirit seemed to hang. Zeph waded across the broken piece of wood. Moans of the Re-Dead carried across the chilly winds. Zeph shivered, and entered the Ghost Salesman's Shop.

The Ghost Salesman sat on his bunk, slowly waving his staff in the air. Zeph reached into his cloak pocket and removed the bottled Poe. "Here," he said. The Ghost Salesman fixed his eerie red eye on the younger man. "Hello Zeph. Another ghost today?" 

"Just give me my fifty rupees so I can take my leave." "And use it for what? Another round of arrows in Kakariko Village or maybe a lure at the Fishing Pond?" he said tauntingly. Zeph was almost reminded of the Poe, out on the field. "Just pay me my money old man. There's nothing left here for me anyway." Zeph remembered the day everyone left for Kakariko. He remembered the monsters uprising. Everywhere was tainted these days: the forest, the mountain, the graveyard. Winds of ice and evil blew in from Zora's Domain and hot sand mixed with darkness from Gerudo land. 

"Touchy," the Ghost Salesman remarked and grabbed the bottle from Zeph's outstretched hand. He put it away behind him, and the spirit of the Poe appeared above him on the wooden rack. "You have 600 points" The Ghost Salesman commented as he ruffled through his rupee stores. A few moments later and Zeph was holding a purple rupee. "Thanks old man." Zeph turned to leave, when he heard footsteps pattering outside. He turned back towards the Ghost Salesman. "Expecting anyone?" he asked. 

"No, you're my only customer at the moment. The others came to…unfortunate ends." He gave a dry, croaking laugh, more like a hiss. Zeph crept toward the door. He cracked it open to see a boy…no, a young man rather hurry past, followed by a fairy. The young man was dressed as the forest folk, and he seemed to be hurrying towards the forest's direction. "He has a Hylian shield." Zeph remarked from his position by the door. "And a sword." 

"You know these people. The ones that do not flee before Ganondorf's army rebel instead. Although, the numbers are dwindling as we speak." The Ghost Salesman gave his hoarse cackle again. Zeph quietly closed the door, and indicated a pot. "Mind if I grab some hearts? The Big Poe was hard to beat." "Be my guest." The Ghost Salesman replied. Zeph cracked one open, the shards disappearing into thin air as always. 

"The heart does you good, Zeph." Zeph gave the Ghost Salesman one last look. "I gotta go. I'll be back with the next Poe by next week." He left the Ghost Shop and mounted his horse. He brought the horse into a trot and headed towards Lake Hylia. He needed to fish. 

As he moved across the plain, towards the setting sun, he saw the young man running into Kokiri. "Everybody thinks their a damn hero," Zeph muttered, and made his way into the sunset.


End file.
